Giving DS the same name as ex?

My DP and I are expecting a baby next month. We have kept the sex a surprise, and agreed upon a girls name months ago. We've really struggled to come up with a boys name that we both like- we have completely different tastes.

The only name we can come up with that we both really like happens to be the name of my first boyfriend, who I was with for a couple of years when we were teenagers. It was a very big deal to me at the time (first love, we lost our virginity to each other, etc), but was obviously a very long time ago, and we are not in contact anymore. My DP knows about the history, and is still quite keen to use the name if we have a boy.

I know that if we used the name, it would just become my DS's name, and I wouldn't make the connection to my ex. I'm a bit concerned though that people who knew me back then would find it very strange, as though I've pined after my ex all these years and am naming my pfb after him! I know this shouldn't be based on worrying about other people's opinions, particularly as I don't even live in the same area anymore and am not in touch with that any people from back then, but still very confused!

I do really like the name, but would love some opinions on whether it would be odd to use it?

I would use it if you like it, particularly if your DH has no issues with it. I was faced with exactly the same dilemma as this and decided to use it if we had a DS. However, it never came about as we had DDs!

My SIL used her first boyfriend's name for her son. I think only my MIL found it a bit weird at the time but obviously didn't say anything. The child just becomes the name s/he is given and most people don't think any more of it.

The only name we liked and agreed on for a boy was the same as he'd called his Great Dane, which died just before I got with him 11 years ago. Everyone could remember that. We had a girl but I'd have gone with the boys name.

I'm gonna go against the grain and say don't use it. If you're thinking about it now in association with your ex, it will always be in the back of your mind somewhere. It can be difficult agreeing on names but there must be something else out there that you can both agree on.

I know your DP is happy with it but if he wanted to name your child the same name as his ex, would it feel strange to you?

One of my friends had a boyfriend (let's call him Joseph). Less than two years later, she called her son Joe. We all thought it was . Obviously the timescales are waaaaayyy different in your situation but I still wouldn't.

I think it's a bit odd to even think about somebody you went out with for a couple of years as a teenager as 'your ex'. To me when an adult mentions an 'ex' I think of ex-husband, or maybe ex-dp with children together, or at the very least somebody you lived with for a while.

I absolutely love my hubby's ex girlfriend's name and would love to use it if current bump is a girl but it would be just too weird, its an unusual name so would be obvious where I would have got it from. Also her older sister, who me and hubby really get on with works at ds playgroup so I would be quite embarrassed taking new baby in to meet her and telling her the name. Hubby agrees people would think its strange, its me that really loves the name but I do have some other choices I really like so will go with one of them.

It's completely up to u, if u have no connections anymore then go for it, I don't think in any way it means u are pining over ur ex

There is absolutely no way I would have entertained it - DH wanted to give DD the same name as his ex fiancee (who was off the scene years before we met), but I just couldn't. Different if neither of you minds though (I think!)